Refried beans are a staple of Mexican cooking, and freeze well for later use.
Refried beans are one of the simple, down-to-earth pleasures of Mexican cuisine. For those who want to try them at home, cookbooks and websites abound with recipes in varying degrees of flavor and authenticity, geared to cooks at every skill level. Leftovers taste just as good, whether eaten the next day or frozen for future use.
Air and Frozen Beans
The biggest enemy of frozen foods is air. Exposure to air in the packaging is why foods develop musty and stale flavors. This is the result of oxidation, which breaks down many flavor compounds in the foods and turns fats rancid. This is especially important with refried beans, which often have a quantity of oil or lard added. Lard is reasonably resistant to rancidity, but vegetable oils can quickly develop odd vegetable or fish-like odors and tastes. Air is easily excluded from pasty foods like refried beans, as there are no air spaces to contend with.
Freezing Refried Beans in Bags
Heavy-duty freezer bags work well for refried beans. Fill bags no more than 3/4 full, then close up all but a narrow gap at the edge of the bag. Lay the bag on your counter and gently squeeze out any excess air, until the beans are nearly to the opening. Seal the bag the rest of the way, and freeze it flat for easy thawing. Single-serving bags are especially practical. Cooking for any number of people is as simple as thawing the correct number of portions, and several small portions thaw more quickly than one large portion.
Freezing Refried Beans in Containers
Bags don't always lend themselves to a neat and well-organized freezer. Many choose to freeze foods in stackable containers of uniform size and shape, so that anything in the freezer may be located at a glance. Divide the beans into small portions for one or two people, and fill the containers about 3/4 full. If the containers are too full, the lids will be pushed off as the food freezes and expands. Press plastic wrap or parchment paper to the surface of the beans to protect from air and oxidation.
Freezing Beans Before They're Refried
The most authentic recipes for refried beans begin with whole dried beans, rather than canned. Home enthusiasts are often astonished at how they expand after soaking and cooking. Rather than freezing leftovers, some cooks prefer to freeze the cooked beans as they are. This means future batches of refried beans won't have to be started a day in advance, which is a great convenience. It also means the beans can be re-purposed for other recipes as desired. Freeze whole beans in bags, and use a straw to suck out as much air as possible. This will prolong their storage life.
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